Ace right-hander Gerrit Cole is the latest to come down with an injury scare. The 34-year-old is experiencing right elbow discomfort and will undergo an MRI to assess the severity of the injury, according to multiple reports.
Last spring, Cole dealt with nerve inflammation and edema in his pitching elbow, which forced him to miss the first two-and-a-half months of the season.
The 2023 Cy Young winner has made two starts this spring, but allowed six runs on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins in 2.2 innings.
Cole returned to MLB action in the middle of June and proceeded to pitch through the end of the World Series. He ultimately threw 95.0 innings with a 3.41 ERA and 99 strikeouts.
In the post-season, he made five starts and allowed seven earned runs in 29.0 innings of work.
The Yankees are already dealing with the loss of reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, who will begin the season on the injured list with a lat strain.
Gil’s absence will likely push veteran Marcus Stroman into the rotation to begin the 2025 regular season. If Cole were to miss any time, New York would likely give 25-year-old Will Warren the first crack at breaking camp with the team.
Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, JT Brubaker, Jake Cousins and Scott Effross have all been dealing with injuries so far this spring.
